Home

Cornbread Chicken Dressing: A Cozy Southern Classic for Your Holiday Table

If there’s one side dish that has to be on the table for a Southern-style holiday meal, it’s cornbread dressing. Rich, savory, and full of cozy flavor, this Cornbread Chicken Dressing is the kind of recipe that gets requested year after year—and then fought over in the leftovers phase.

This version brings together tender cornbread, aromatic sautéed veggies, cozy herbs like sage and poultry seasoning, and plenty of chicken or turkey stock to keep everything moist and flavorful. It bakes up with a golden top and a soft, comforting interior that pairs perfectly with roasted turkey, chicken, ham, or even on its own with a little gravy.

In this post, you’ll find:

What makes this dressing special
Tips for success (so it never turns out dry!)
Make-ahead, freezing, and reheating instructions
Serving ideas and simple variations
And, of course, the full recipe exactly as written at the end

What Makes This Cornbread Chicken Dressing So Good?

This recipe strikes that perfect balance between hearty and comforting without being too heavy or complicated. Here’s why it works so well:

Cornbread base – Cornbread adds a touch of sweetness and a beautiful crumb that soaks up all the flavor from the stock and seasonings.
Double bread texture – The combination of cornbread and dry bread crumbs creates a dressing that’s moist inside but holds together well, without turning mushy.
Classic aromatics – Onions and celery sautéed in butter bring that traditional holiday dressing flavor you expect.
Herb-forward – Sage and poultry seasoning give it that unmistakable “Thanksgiving” aroma that fills the whole kitchen.
Customizable moisture – The stock is added until the mixture is “pretty soupy,” which is the key to a moist dressing after baking.

Ingredient Highlights (In Plain Language)

You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick idea of what each ingredient brings to the dish:

Cornbread – The backbone of the recipe. You’ll need at least 6 cups, prepared ahead of time according to your favorite package mix or recipe.
Dry bread crumbs – These help bind everything together and add structure.
Celery & onion – Classic dressing veggies that bring flavor, texture, and aroma.
Butter – Used to sauté the vegetables and add richness throughout the dish.
Chicken or turkey stock – This is where the moisture and a lot of the flavor come from. Using a good-quality stock makes a big difference.
Eggs – Help the dressing set as it bakes, giving it a cohesive texture.
Poultry seasoning & sage – The flavor anchors of this dish; they give that traditional dressing taste.
Salt & pepper – Simple, but essential to balance the flavors.

Step-by-Step: How This Dressing Comes Together

Here’s a more detailed walk-through of what you’ll be doing when you make this recipe.

1. Prepare Your Cornbread

You’ll start by preparing the cornbread according to the package instructions. This can be done earlier in the day or even the day before; slightly drier cornbread actually works well, because it soaks up more of the stock and seasoning.

Once it’s baked and cooled enough to handle, you’ll crumble it into a large mixing bowl. You’re aiming for small pieces—no big chunks—so the dressing bakes up evenly.

2. Preheat and Prep the Pan

You’ll preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. This size is perfect for feeding a crowd, and it gives you a good balance of moist center and golden edges.

3. Build the Bread Base

In your large mixing bowl, you’ll crumble the cornbread and add the dry bread crumbs. This combination gives the dressing its structure and signature texture once baked.

4. Sauté the Vegetables

In a large skillet, you’ll melt the butter, then add chopped celery and onions. These sauté for about 10 minutes, just until the onions are soft and translucent. This step mellows the flavor of the onions and celery and infuses the butter with their taste—so every bite of the dressing gets a little of that flavor.

5. Mix Everything Together

Now it’s time to bring it all into one bowl:

Pour the celery and onion mixture into the cornbread and bread crumb mixture.
Add the beaten eggs.
Pour in chicken or turkey stock.
Sprinkle in the poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper.

This is where one of the most important tips comes in:

The mixture should be pretty soupy before baking.

It might feel like you’re adding a lot of stock, but this is exactly what keeps the dressing from drying out in the oven. As it bakes, the breads absorb the liquid and set, creating a moist, tender interior.

6. Bake to Perfection

You’ll cover the baking pan and bake the dressing for 35 minutes. The cover helps trap steam and allows the dressing to set gently without drying out.

Then you’ll remove the cover and bake for another 10 minutes. This is when the top gets a little golden and develops that classic dressing look and texture.

You’ll know it’s done when it’s well set and cooked through—no noticeable liquid pockets in the center, and the edges lightly browned.

Tips for the Best Cornbread Chicken Dressing

Here are a few practical tips to help your dressing turn out beautifully every time:

Don’t skimp on the stock. If the mixture doesn’t look soupy, add more stock a little at a time. Dry dressing is almost always the result of not enough liquid at the start.
Taste the seasoning. Before you add the eggs, you can taste a small spoonful of the mixture (since it’s just bread and stock at that point) to check for salt, pepper, and sage balance.
Use day-old cornbread if possible. Slightly dried cornbread absorbs moisture better and gives a great texture.
Let it rest before serving. Let the baked dressing sit for about 10–15 minutes before scooping. It will firm up slightly and be easier to serve.

Make-Ahead, Freezing & Reheating

To make ahead (unbaked):
You can assemble the dressing mixture, pour it into the prepared baking pan, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for a bit, and then bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed.

To freeze (unbaked):
Assemble the dressing in a freezer-safe pan, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

To freeze (baked):
Let the baked dressing cool completely, then portion it into freezer containers or wrap the whole pan well. Reheat covered in the oven at a low temperature until warmed through, then uncover to re-crisp the top.

Reheating leftovers:
Cover with foil and warm in a 300–325°F oven until heated through, or reheat individual portions in the microwave. A splash of extra stock before reheating can revive any pieces that seem a little dry.

What to Serve with Cornbread Chicken Dressing

This dressing pairs with just about any classic comfort main dish, including:

Roast turkey or chicken
Baked ham
Pork roast
Fried or baked chicken
Turkey gravy or pan gravy

Round out the plate with green beans, collard greens, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, or roasted vegetables for a complete feast.

Optional Add-Ins and Variations

While the recipe itself below stays exactly the same, you can personalize your pan of dressing with a few optional additions if you like:

Cooked, shredded chicken or turkey – Fold in leftover meat for a heartier, main-dish version.
Cooked sausage – Browned breakfast sausage or Italian sausage (without casing) adds richness and spice.
Fresh herbs – A little fresh sage, thyme, or parsley stirred in with the dried seasonings can brighten the flavor.
Chopped hard-boiled eggs – A traditional addition in some Southern kitchens.
Giblets – If you enjoy them, finely chopped cooked giblets can be added for old-fashioned flavor.

If you do add extras, just be sure not to reduce the stock—extra ingredients often need more moisture, not less.

Cornbread Chicken Dressing Recipe

(As requested, the recipe is kept exactly the same.)

Cornbread Chicken Dressing

Ingredients
1 recipe of cornbread (at least 6 cups)
2 cups chopped celery
2 large onions chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 cups dry bread crumbs
2-3 cups turkey or chicken stock* or more
2 large eggs beaten
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions
Prepare cornbread according to package instructions.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Crumble cornbread in a large mixing bowl and dry breadcrumbs.
1 recipe of cornbread
Melt the stick of butter in a large skillet, add celery and onions, and saute until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
2 cups chopped celery,1/2 cup butter,2 large onions
Combine celery and onion mixture, beaten eggs with cornbread, bread crumbs, chicken/turkey stock, poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper. The dressing should be pretty soupy so it doesn’t dry out during baking. You may need to add more stock*.
2 cups dry bread crumbs,2-3 cups turkey or chicken stock*,2 large eggs,1 teaspoon poultry seasoning,2 teaspoons sage,1/2 teaspoon salt,1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Cover, bake, for 35 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes until browned or until well set and cooked through